When I talked to her about both, she said there was one thing that kept her on track: healthy eating. "When I lost 40 pounds, I lost the first 20 by diet alone," she says. "At that point, I started working exercise into the equation." The same thing was true when she was off her feet due to her DWTS injuries: "I was injured all this last year. My feet were not healing and I wasn’t able to do much. But I maintained my shape with healthy eating."

Now, Maria is bringing awareness to the link between healthy eating and self-esteem with a new PSA for avocados from Mexico. "There are so many things that contribute to self-esteem," she says. "But I've found there's a lot to say about eating healthy and feeling good about yourself. When you eat healthy, you feel healthy. And that equals good self-esteem."

But it doesn't stop there! Her new partnership was born out of the fact that she's always been a big fan of avocados (she even used to have an avocado tree!)—and she credits avocados for helping her stay lean while she was down and out with a bum foot. "[Celebrity trainer] Harley Pasternak told me, 'Oh, I have this new 10-day smoothie plan—it'd be perfect for you.' One is called the 'green smoothie,' and it has lot of avocado in it. I couldn't believe how it affected my body—it was lean. I really only worked out about three times during that period."

Avocados really are filled with a lot of good-for-your-bod stuff: heart-healthy fat, protein, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin K. And, in the spirit of Maria, smoothies and avocados, I found these can't-resist-'em drink recipes that are—well, irresistible: